1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image output control method and apparatus which can obtain a desired reproduced image using image data recorded in an information storage medium, such as a floppy disk, a card memory or the like, and which can edit data of the information recording medium, to a recording medium recording an image data file, and to a recording medium storing an image output control program.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is an extra-print service of photographs as a conventional general method for reproducing image data possessed by the customer. In the extra-print service of photographs, the customer brings in a semitransparent negative cover (negative holder) having a developed film accommodated thereon to a development laboratory or the like by writing the number of extra prints of each image, or marks. The development laboratory provides extra prints of a desired image to be reproduced (printed) by specifying the image. Recently, a photo CD (compact disk) system in which an image on a film is read, read image data is written in a CD-ROM (read-only memory), and the image data is read from the CD-ROM and is reproduced/displayed on an image display device is being utilized. In the photo CD system, a computer system reads image data recorded in a CD-ROM, and outputs the read image data using a high-picture-quality printer to provide a print image. Since the high-picture-quality printer is too expensive to be possessed by the customer, a print image is generally obtained by asking a development laboratory or the like to perform a print service. When asking a print service, the customer generally gives a CD-ROM, and a memo containing information for specifying image data recorded in the CD-ROM (such as the number of the corresponding image confirmed on an index print or the like).
In accordance with improvement in the computer technology, diffusion of personal computers, and diffusion of image input devices, such as digital cameras and the like, the user can easily deal with high-definition digital image data. Such image data is recorded in a predetermined information recording medium in one of various kinds of image filing formats, such as TIFF, PICT1 JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group), RAW and the like, and is usually output from a printer connected to a computer owned by the user. However, the printer owned by the user cannot, in some cases, provide a satisfactory print. In order to solve such a problem, a print service which can output/reproduce image data recorded in an information recording medium in the above-described manner using a high-performance printer is available at a development laboratory, a photo studio, a DPE shop or a personal-computer shop. In order to obtain such a service, the customer must ask a print-service shop to provide prints by giving image data. Recently, it is possible to ask prints by transmitting image data via a communication network. However, a print service is usually performed by providing a print-service shop with an information recording medium where image data is recorded.
When the customer asks a print service of image data recorded in an information recording medium in the above-described manner, the customer must assign a desired image from among image data recorded in the information recording medium. For that purpose, the customer must provide a print-service shop with a memo or the like describing the number or the name of the image. The print service shop must provide a print of the image by selecting the desired image from among the image data recorded in the information recording medium based on the number or the name of the image described in the memo or the like by performing a manual operation.
In general, a computer system for performing the above-described print service requires a complicated operation. Accordingly, it is not easy for an ordinary shop worker to provide a print by selecting an image to be printed. In addition, since it is necessary to select a desired image from among image data recorded in an information recording medium, a manpower is required for providing a print, thereby increasing a time period for providing the print.